MAC KIRK

  Easter from the Colossians 3 Reading " We cannot arrive at the perfect possession of God in this life, and that is why we are travelling and in darkness. But we already possess Him by grace, and therefore in that sense we have arrived and are dwelling in the light." Thomas Merton I like this quote for several reasons .  It is positive and reflects our Christian life that should be light here while we live to others.  God's grace should be evident in our Christian practice.  Words are good, but not sufficient.   Somehow if we were honest we would say that our lives are not that full of goodness and truth .  This happens to us just as it did in the time when the Apostle wrote his letter to the Christians in Colossae. Our walk does not imitate our talk for sure.  We are guilty in this area . Some gnostic ( knowledge only is salvation and not our behaviour....from the Greek word gnosis or knowledge) heresies / false teaching had crept in to the chur...

  Wisdom - Readings from the Morning Prayer The readings in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer for this week in Morning Prayer are about wisdom from Proverbs .  I had occasion this week on Sunday Morning to do a service from the 28 Book .  As I reflected on the words,  I found them to be meaningful and deeper than some of the newer Prayer Books.  It is rather sad actually to see the drift away from good solid Biblical teaching .  This is the society we live in that wants the fluff without the depth. No wonder our culture is mostly adrift in its own unhappiness.   What does wisdom mean?  The Hebrew word for wisdom has its origin Word Origin: [a primitive root, to be wise (in mind, word or act) Biblehub.com Proverbs 8:12-20 Around  wisdom are prudence, discretion, knowledge from Proverbs 8:12.   Our own age has abandoned most of these concepts.  We live in an age of short advertisments and commercials without depth. Watching tel...

  We pray for the family and friends of Fred Hartin who died on Sunday 4 pm , DEC 7. " O Lord thou hast sent among us thy sad messenger, O our God, and taken from us thy faithful servant Fred Hartin , to whom our eyes looked up, with whom we took sweet counsel, and whose spirit turned our duties into love. Raise our thoughts from this changeful life to the calm eternity in which thou dwellest, and to those things which know no change. Leave us whatever has been strong and sacred which here we shall know no more; that the voice we have loved may yet speak to us through the solemn silence. Thy will be done. Look upon all of his family now with thy tender mercy. Sustain and comfort every mourning heart.  May we dedicate ourselves anew to the service of thy will; that in the faith and spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ who was made perfect through suffering , each of us may be ready to say, whenever the hour shall strike, Father, I have finished the work which thou gave me to do. Ame...

  An Advent Reading about the Rain  Isaiah 4:2-6 "In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem:  When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.  And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." This is the First Sunday in Advent, Mornin...

  Hymn Singing and Getting Going      One of the weeks we just experienced in the 28 liturgy in the 21st Sunday after Trinity was a lesson from Ephesians 6 .  It is a familiar one, but we struggle with its application. We should not be without our spiritual  armour as we go through our day.   I find that what gets me going and is helpful is not only our own liturgy,but the wonderful hymnal that we have to use---1940 Episcopal hymnal.  What gets you going in the right direction in your day?  Of course the liturgy of Morning and Evening Prayer is a tremendous help to us .  I seem to need a kick often to get on the right path.  Yes, even ordained clergy struggle!  When I was in the US Army of course we had the Physical Training at 6:30 am .  That was a big boost. We ran usually and did some silly sit ups and push ups. In the same manner we need to be boosted in the spiritual realm of our souls.sp Hymns are so helpful , a...

  A Few Thoughts about Reaching Out to Others   All of us have relatives or friends who do not accept Christianity or the Scriptures.  We have prayed and tried to convince them.  There are a couple of verses that have been very helpful to me in this process of seeing others come to faith.  Of course we know as the Scriptures teach that none can come apart from the Holy Spirit giving them a new heart.  ( The theological term for that is regeneration which precedes faith)     "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all  men , apt to teach, patient,  25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  26 And  that  they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."  2 Timothy 2: 24 Peter also talks about this " But and if ye suffer for righteousness' ...